


We're Afire (Love)

by mikellyart



Series: You're Like Perfection (Lashton Oneshots) [4]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post Mpreg, i fucking died of feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 17:12:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6203878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mikellyart/pseuds/mikellyart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After four years, Luke finally meets the love of his life again in a little grocery store in L.A. But he's not alone.</p><p>Or,</p><p>The one where Ashton has a kid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We're Afire (Love)

It's been five years since Luke saw Ashton Fletcher Irwin, when he broke his heart after graduation and announced that he was moving to Ireland to live with his uncle. So, running into him at the local grocery store - in L.A. of all places - is quite the surprise. 

"Ashton?" he asks the man - he's a man now - who looks like he's trying to figure out which brand of milk to buy.

Ashton turns and, yeah, he's a man now. 

He's no long the thin, clean shaven teenage boy with the fringe and glasses. He's stopped straightening his hair, letting it hang loose in golden-brown waves that reach just below the edge of his sharpened jawline. He's grown a bit of a beard and, judging by the cling of his tight, black longsleeve, he's grown into the strong, muscled body of a man.

He's still just as beautiful to Luke as ever.

"Luke Hemmings," he grins easily. "Never thought I'd run into you here."

Luke smiles nervously and internally slaps himself.

He's Luke Robert Hemmings, Princeton graduate and owner of Hi or Hey Records here in L.A.. He doesn't get nervous. Hasn't gotten nervous since the first day of university when he had to debate against a third-year student about why gay marriage should be legalized. He had won that argument, and every argument after that. He fought, tooth and nail, to get to where he was in the music industry, graduating two years early with a Master's in Business Management and a Bachelor's in Music Studies. He'd just won an award for Most Outstanding Musical Contribution, managed two of the most popular artists in the world, Ed Sheeran and Michael Clifford, and his net worth was worth 2.1 billion.

He was a shark in the industry, but this man before him made him feel like a newborn pup.

"Been a long while, Ashton," he replies, reaching a hand out for a handshake.

Ashton rolls his eyes and pulls him into a tight hug. Luke was shocked by the response but hugs back, nonetheless. Ashton pulls away with a smile.

"You look good. Then again, having a giant house to walk around in must help burn off a lot of calories," he jokes.

Luke chuckles at the jab, grateful that Ashton refused to let it be awkward between the two of them, even after all that's happened.

"How have you been?" he asks, genuinely curious.

He hasn't heard from the man in five years. He wasn't on any type of social media. He doesn't even have a Facebook, Luke's checked.

"Oh, y'know. Been busy with life," Ashton smiles. "Teaching music at UCLA. It's wonderful."

"You've always wanted to be a music teacher," Luke replies.

"You've remembered," Ashton observes happily. "What about you? How have you been? And don't give me the shit that I read in the papers."

Luke laughs because, of course, Ashton never believes what he reads in magazines.

"Well," he starts. "Music business is going great. We just signed a new act. He's a great singer and a great kid. I make a shit ton of money so I was able to buy mum that house she's always wanted. And I don't live in a mansion, just a nice two-story with a nice yard and a butler who does all my laundry because we both know I'm shit at that."

Ashton laughs, nose crinkling and dimples showing. Luke's reminded of why he fell in love with him, again. He's always been in love with Ashton. Probably always will be.

"You were always hopeless with chores," Ashton says with a fond tone in his voice.

Before Luke can reply, Ashton's attention is being taken away by a tiny body crashing into his right leg.

"Daddy! Daddy! I found the cereal! I got the one with the marshmallows! Can we get them, please?" the tiny boy is all blonde hair and big blue eyes and holding a big box of Lucky Charms with the cutest pour in the world, adorning his face.

Ashton laughs and picks the little boy up, placing him carefully on his hip.

"Sure, bud. Anything you want. This is a friend of mine, his name is Luke," he nods his head towards Luke who's standing there with a shocked look on his face. "Say hi."

The little boy gives him an enthusiastic wave. He's all big smiles, giggles and dimples.

"Hi, Luke! I'm Fletcher," he introduces himself, wiggling to get out of Ashton's hold.

Ashton takes the cereal box as his son struggles to get to the floor. When his father finally lets him down, Fletcher is running at Luke and throws his arms around Luke's thighs.

"You're taller than daddy," he giggles.

Luke smiles and pets his head, shocked because this is Ashton's son. He has a son. Luke's heart breaks because he's lost Ashton. He can't compete with a woman who's given him a son.

The older blonde schools his face, hides his emotions. He's had a lot of practice in the industry.

"Nice to meet you, Fletcher," he answers, patting the boy's head gently.

Fletcher smiles up at him before running back to Ashton. The older man picks him up and places him in the cart, handing him his phone to play with. The boy becomes quiet, easily inputting the password and finding a game to play.

Ashton turns back to Luke, a sheepish smile on his face.

"You have a son," Luke breathes out - he's having a hard time breathing back in.

"Yeah," he says, running a hand through Fletcher's blonde waves. "Beautiful, isn't he?"

"He is," Luke acquiesces. "Where's his mother?"

Ashton laughs, as if the idea of a mother is an absurd concept in his mind.

"Fletcher doesn't have a mum, Luke," he says quietly, still staring at his son.

Luke feels guilty suddenly at Ashton's answer.

"I'm sorry. Did she, um...pass away?" he questions.

Ashton shakes his head, blinks at him but his eyes are not focusing on Luke's eyes like they usually do. They're avoiding him and Luke feels a weird twist in his gust, at that.

"Um, did she-"

He's cut off by the little boy in the cart seat.

"Fletcher has two daddies," he announces. "Daddy had me but he says that my other daddy had to go off to school. He doesn't know about me but daddy says he knows he loves me."

Ashton freezes at his son's admission, as does Luke. His heart drops when he realizes what Fletcher is implying.

"How old is he, Ashton?" he demands suddenly and the shorter man is refusing to look at Luke, refusing to answer.

His son, however, is a whole other story.

"I am four," Fletcher smiles, holding up four tiny fingers up. "And my birthday is November 3!"

That's six months after Ashton left. Nine months after their- their first time together. They didn't wear protection and, suddenly, Luke's entire world is crashing down on him. Because he's not an idiot and he's a whiz at math. By his calculations, Ashton would have been three months pregnant the night that he left Luke to go to Ireland.

"You kept him from me?" he's asking Ashton.

The shorter man is quiet, staring at the floor and large hands gripping the shopping cart handle so tightly, his knuckles are turning white.

"Ashton, please tell me if it's true," he begs, moving closer to the man he's been in love with since he was seventeen.

Ashton bites his lip, a sign that he's scared. Luke is equally as terrified to find out the truth, if this boy is his child.

"Yes," Ashton finally admits, his voice shaking.

Luke stumbles back slightly, staring at the little boy who has gone back to playing games on his father's phone. He finally sees the resemblances. Fletcher is definitely Ashton's but he has traces of Luke in him. His hair is the same shade of blonde, eyes the same color of blue. He's got his nose and cupid's-bow-shaped lips. He's the right mix of the two of them, beautiful and perfect. He's never seen a more perfect child.

It dawns on him that this is not the place to be having this conversation. They shouldn't discuss this in the middle of a grocery store.

"Can we talk about this over lunch or something?" he asks Ashton.

The shorter man looks up at him with a blank expression, glancing back at the little boy behind him.

"You could come to my place," Ashton suggests. "That way, he's got something to distract him and I won't have to worry."

Luke nods.

"Yeah, anything you want. Here, type in your address."

He hands Ashton his phone and puts it in his pocket when he's done. 

"I'll see you in a bit."

>>>

"He seems like a wonderful child," Luke comments as Ashton sets Fletcher down in the living room and turns the TV on.

The blonde puts the groceries that he's helped Ashton bring into the house on the kitchen counter. They put things away, Luke mostly just standing around and observing Ashton move around in the kitchen comfortably. He's used to this, Luke realizes. He's been doing this for years. On his own, without Luke.

The blonde suddenly feels like shit.

"You should've told me."

Ashton slams a hand on the kitchen counter and maybe that's not the best way to start this conversation.

"You were going to Princeton, Luke," he explains. "You didn't need a relationship holding you back, let alone a baby."

"I wouldn't have given a damn about Princeton if I had known that you were pregnant. That's my son in there," he says sharply, pointing in the direction of the living room. "I would've helped you raise him. I should have helped you raise him."

"You didn't even know that you had a kid up until an hour ago," Ashton hisses, eyes narrowed. "I kept him from you because I knew he'd just hold you back. Look at where you are now. You're living the perfect life. You're rich, famous and successful! You couldn't have had that if we had stayed together, especially with Fletcher."

"I'd have traded this life in a heartbeat for a life with you and him!" Luke snaps, voice cracking. "How many sleepless nights studying for finals that I would have traded for waking up at three a.m. to rock Fletcher back to sleep? How many hangovers I'd have traded for Sundays sleeping in with you beside me? I was broken when you left me without even giving me a proper reason! I not only lost you, I lost four years of my own son's life that I'll never get back because you ran away instead of telling me."

He's crying now and Ashton looks close to it. It was hard enough having Ashton leave but he'd taken away his chance at being a father to Fletcher.

"I fucking loved you. You took my heart with you to Ireland and stomped all over it and that was fine. That was just fine but how long were you planning on keeping Fletcher away from me?" he demands, shaking now.

From the look on Ashton's face, he knows that Ashton would have kept Fletcher a secret forever.

"You should've told me," he whispers, avoiding Ashton's gaze. "I wish you would've told me." 

He sits down, face in his hands. He doesn't know what to say anymore. Ashton always had the ability to drain him, in both senses. It's quiet for several moments before the man before him finally says something.

"I'm sorry. I just wanted what was best for you," he cries softly.

Luke softens, he's always been soft when it comes to Ashton. 

"You were best for me," he tells him, reaching out to hold his hand. "You've always been the best thing for me."

Ashton starts crying but holds his hand back tightly.

"I'm sorry," he repeats, sobbing.

Luke stands, reaches forward and pulls the shorter man into his arms, letting him cry into his button-up covered chest. 

"Shh, darling. It's alright, Ashy," he says, running a hand through Ashton's wavy hair. "It's done. It's done and we can't take it back. All we can do is figure out what to do from here."

Ashton nods and pulls away slightly. Luke lets him move a step back but keeps his hands firmly on the shorter boy's hips.

"I want to be in Fletcher's life," he starts. "I want to be a part of both of your lives."

Ashton lets out a wet laugh, leaning forward to press his forehead against Luke's.

The blonde pulls him into a hug. He thinks they fit together quite well, always have.

"He's so much like you," Ashton starts, hands lightly caressing the back of his neck. "Smart, sweet and charming. All the little boys and girls at pre-school adore him."

"Have you had it hard without me?" Luke asks quietly, running a hand down Ashton's back over and over again.

Ashton squeezes Luke, at that.

"Don't think of that. I chose to raise him on my own. I have no regrets."

"I wish I could have been there," whispers the blonde.

Ashton pulls back slightly, giving him that easy smile that always had Luke's heart racing at a mile a minute.

"You'll be there for the rest of his life, Luke. Fletcher knows how much you love him," the wavy-haired man sighed. "I never doubted that you would love him."

"Daddy? What's going on?"

Both men pull apart to look at the little blonde boy staring up at them from the doorway. Fletcher looks that strange mix of frightened, confused and excited that Luke thinks only children can really feel.

"Can I talk to him?" Luke asks for permission, because even though this is his son, Ashton has been his father for the last four years.

Ashton nods and moves to Fletcher, giving him a kind, loving smile.

"Luke will explain everything, bub," he glances at the taller man before running a hand through Fletcher's light blonde hair. "Just hear him out, okay? Come to me if you feel uncomfortable or anything."

"Okay, daddy," he smiles, reaching up to kiss his father on the cheek.

Ashton returns the gesture and slowly walks out of the kitchen to give the two boys their alone time.

Fletcher turns to Luke with a curious look on his face and the older man has to decide whether he wants to cry or puke. Because this boy looks so much like him, it's physically painful.

"Would you like to sit up here on the counter?" Luke asks, motioning towards the countertop beside him.

Fletcher grins and nods eagerly, his tiny feet taking him towards Luke until he's right in front of the older man with arms stretched out. He's waited for the man to carry him up and Luke's heart swells at the sight of this sweet, young boy - his son. 

Luke easily lifts the boy up onto the counter, makes sure he's seated right before dragging a high chair over to the spot right next to him. He has no idea how to start this conversation. He's had no problem speaking to the most famous of artists, the most crazy of directors but this little boy before him makes his tongue tie up and his mind go to mush.

Fletcher is waiting, though. He's got his hands folded on his lap patiently and Luke is positive that Ashton's raised their son just right.

"Fletcher, remember what you said before to me at the supermarket? About you having two daddies?" he starts off, nervously biting at his lip.

The boy nods, smiling up at him.

"Yeah."

Sucking in a deep breath, Luke decides to just come out with it.

"Well, I'm that other daddy. I'm your other father," he confesses, carefully evaluating the younger boy's reaction.

Fletcher just grins and throws his arms around him in a hug that's only as tight as his tiny his arms can manage.

"I knew it!" Fletcher exclaims. "Daddy always showed me pictures of a man that looked like you but he was, like, young and stuff! You're that man, aren't you? You just got bigger!"

Luke is in shock. He's got no idea what to say to the younger boy. In fact, he feels like crying right about now. He keeps it in, though. He doesn't want Fletcher thinking anything' wrong because nothing is wrong. Everything is so, so right.

"Yes," he manages to choke out, pulling away to cup his son's face. "I am that man. And Fletcher, before anything else I want you to know that I love you very very much. I wasn't able to be around for the past four years and God only knows how much I wish I could have. I wish I could have been there to see your first steps and your first day of pre-school. I wish I could have been there to see you ride a tricycle and I hate how I've already missed four Christmases and birthdays with you. You don't know how much I'll never stop trying to make it up to you."

And, of course, his son just smiles.

"It's okay. I go to kindergarten next year so you can take me. Daddy always makes a huffy and the teacher has to tell him to leave," he giggles, melting the older man's heart. "And you can teach me to ride a real bike because daddy is too scared to let me on one. He thinks I'll fall and break my arm. And...you can just buy me a bouncy house for my birthday and that makes up for it."

Luke can't help it. 

He throws his head back in laughter because Ashton is right. Fletcher is sweet and smart and charming - everything he could ever hope his son to be. They've only known each other a few hours but Luke can't help the love and adoration he already has for his four-year-old. Fletcher is just that kind of kid - his kid.

"I promise to do all that and more," he tells the little boy sincerely. "I'll always be here, Fletcher. Whenever you need. I'll always be there, no matter what. Okay?"

Fletcher holds out a tiny pinky and Luke is melting all over again. 

"Pinky promise?" he asks and the older man wraps his smallest finger around Fletcher's.

"I promise."

10 years later...

"Papa!"

"In the study, Fletch!"

The fourteen-year-old jogs his lanky body over to his father's study, leaning against the door with his hand covering the mouth piece of the phone in his hand. Luke instantly puts down the papers in his hands and smiles at his son from his desk. He always has time for Fletcher.

"What's up?" he asks, peering at the device in Fletcher's hands.

"Uncle Mikey and uncle Calum are asking if you wanna come over this Saturday for a barbecue. It's Eli's tenth birthday and they want us to come and celebrate," he tells him, a hopeful look in his eye.

Luke laughs and grins slyly at his first born. 

"You just wanna go because MJ is going to be there," he teases, referring to the Hoods' oldest son.

"Because he lurves him!" comes a tiny shout from behind Fletcher and both boys turn to see the tiny brunette that is Luke and Ashton's daughter, Amber.

"Am," Luke scolds. "Come on, now. Be nice."

His daughter just shrugs muttering something along the lines of "It's the truth," and Luke has to cover his mouth to keep from bursting out in laughter at his eight year old's behavior and the flustered look on Fletcher's face.

"Papa!" Fletcher whines, pouting.

Fourteen and he still pouts. Luke laughs again but nods his head.

"Tell them we'll come by. Just get the time and I'll ask your dad to help me find something to get the little fireball," he tells his son.

Fletcher smiles brightly and nods, running forward to give his dad a light hug.

"Thanks, Papa," he says before running out the door with the phone in his ear.

Luke rolls his eyes fondly before picking up the paper he had just been looking at, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. The blonde man looks up and smiles at his husband who is standing in the doorway with a cup of tea in his hand.

"Thought you could use a breather," Ashton tells him, walking over and setting the cup on the table.

The blonde automatically opens his arms and his husband settled down his lap, one arm wrapped around Luke's shoulder and the other cradling his six month belly. The taller man lightly rubs a hand soothingly on Ashton's very pregnant stomach.

"How are our little watermelons doing?" he asks, gazing lovingly at his husband's tummy.

Ashton fakes a sigh of annoyance but Luke knows he is nothing but fond of the little boys growing in his stomach.

"Lukas refuses to stop kicking and I feel like Lance is ready to just get out of there already," he complains, leaning his head on Luke's shoulder.

The blonde man continues to rub Ashton's stomach and the kicking eventually starts to subside. His husband gives a sigh of relief.

"They always calm down with you."

"Because they know that papa loves them the most," he declares.

"Cheeseball," Ashton teases lightly, leaning to press his lips against Luke's in a gentle kiss.

The blonde kisses back sweetly before they pull apart and he starts nuzzling his nose against the side of Ashton's face and his neck.

"I love you," he says because he always feels he need to, the urge to make Ashton feel loved and wanted every day of his life.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," Ashton replies, kissing him again and running a hand through the tips of his growing, blonde hair.

Luke smiles at the man on his lap because he never could have imagined living in the world that he does. Having a perfect job and perfect husband, two crazily wonderful children and two more on the way that Luke knows will be just as crazy and wonderful. He couldn't imagine he'd having everything he does and he's nothing if he's not grateful for it all.

"I love you," he repeats, placing a kiss on Ashton's forehead. "Forever. Always."

Ashton just gives him that easy smile that never fails to make his heart beat hard like a drum.

"I love you. Forever. Always."

The two men chuckle and their lips to meet in another gentle, loving kiss.

Which is, of course, interrupted by an "Ew! Dad! Papa!" from their two crazy children standing in the doorway.


End file.
